CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

CATIA V5
Digital Mockup (DMU)
Version 5 Release 16
DMU Fitting
DMU Kinematics
A- 1
Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

DMU Fitting
Simulate part motions for assembly and maintainability issues
Toolbars
A
B
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

DMU Simulation: Key tools for DMU

Fitting
DMU Check: Measure Interference,
distance, detect Clash while moving
Manipulation: Manipulate model or
Compass while creating a track
Recorder: Record or modify the track
Player: Play the track

E
A- 2
Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

General Process
Open an Assembly Document

Using DMU Manipulation Toolbar to

change the position of the Compass:-

Create a Track
1)

Detach the Compass from

the selected Part (it will be
gray)

2)

Snap the Compass onto a

new position

3)

Attach the Compass

again (it will be Green)

Move a Component
Record the Track
Repeat creating tracks for other components
Create a Sequence of Tracks
Create a Simulation
Analyze the results and modify the design if
necessary

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Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Detect Clashes automatically during the part movement:Three modes are available:
(1)
On (default mode), which deactivates clash detection
(2)
Off, which highlights in the geometry area products in
collision while playing a simulation
(3)
Stop, which stops the simulation when the first clash is
detected.
On/ Off/ Stop
Measure distances AFTER a simulation:Click Distance icon
Select two components
Click Apply to get the minimum distance

Measure distances DURING a simulation:After Distance.1 is created, double-click Sequence.1 on

the tree
Select the Tab Page Edit Analysis
Put Distance.1 on the list called Analyses in Sequence
Set it Active

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(1) File Open:

File/Open/Excavator_a.CATProduct

(2) Change workbench to DMU Fitting:

If the current workbench is not DMU Fitting,

select Start/Digital Mockup/ DMU fitting on
the top menu to change. (otherwise, it neednt
change)

(3) Make the 1st Film:

Click Track icon

Select Upper_Assm(Upper_Assm.1) on tree
(The Compass will be snapped onto the
assembly and it will turn GREEN)

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(3) Cont:

Drag the upper assembly out by Compass

Then Click Record(Insert) icon to record the
new position
Drag the assembly to another position
Click Record(Insert) icon again
Click ok complete

(4) Repeat Step 3 to make the remaining

Films for the below components:

Bucket
Front_Arm
Back_Arm
Arm_Support
Cabinet
Engine
Exhaust
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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(5) Create a Play Sequence of the films:

Click Edit Sequence icon

Select Track.1 under the list of Action in
session
Click
Select Track.2, then
Repeat the steps until all Tracks are inserted

(6) Play the Sequence of films:

Click Simulation Player icon

Select Sequence.1
(The Player is activated on top of the screen)
Click Parameters icon
Enter 5s as Sampling Step (Run the simulation
faster)
Click
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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(6) Cont:

Click Change Loop Mode icon to run the

simulation continuously
Click Stop icon to stop
Click Simulation Player icon again to exit

Change Loop
Mode

Stop

(7) Reset the positions:

Click Reset Position icon

(all components will be back to their original
positions)

(8) Hide all Track Lines on screen:

Right-Click Tracks on the tree

Select Hide/Show

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(9) Refine Environment Settings (optional):

To improve the resolution, select

Tools/options/General/Display/Performan
ces/3D Accuracy/Fixed on the top menu and
change it to 0.01(smallest value)

Change the shading mode to Shading with

Material
Select View/Render Style/Perspective on
the menu
Select View/ Lighting and then select Two
Lights

To Hide Compass, Deselect View/ Compass

on the top menu
To Hide Tree, Deselect View/ Specifications
on the top menu
A- 9

Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 1
(10) Export Simulation into AVI format

Click Tools/Simulation/Generate Video on

the top menu
Select Sequence.1 on tree
Select VFW Codec as default
Click Setup button and select Cinepak
Codec by Radius as Compressor
Click File name to define the destination
of the exported file and the file name
Click ok to complete

(Remark: During the conversion, we can manipulate

the geometry by mouse)

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Version 1b- Mar07

END of Exercise 1
Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

DMU Kinematics
Simulate the mechanism of an assembly
A

B
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

DMU Kinematics: Key tools for DMU

Kinematics
Simulation: Make Simulation with
commands
Kinematics Joints: Create Joints
between components
Kinematics Update: Restore or Update
positions of components
DMU Generic Animation: Record or
Export Simulation into other format

D
E

A- 11
Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

General Process
Open an Assembly Document
Delete all Constraints & Create Joints manually
-OrConvert Constraints into Mechanism
Browse the Mechanism with Commands
Create a Simulation
Analyze the results and modify the design if
necessary

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2

Top
Upper
Arm (x2)
Mid
Joint

Scissor Jack
-

Screw

Create Kinematic Joints

Simulate the mechanism with
command
Study the mechanism behavior
(Displacement and Speed)

Lower
Arm (x2)
Mid Nut

Base

(1)

File/Open/
Scissorjack_a.CATProduct

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(2) Change workbench to DMU kinematics:

If the current workbench is not DMU

kinematics, select Start/Digital Mockup/
DMU kinematics on the top menu to change.
(otherwise, it neednt change)

(3) Delete all Constraints:

Right-Click on Constraints on the product

tree and then select Delete
(We are going to create kinematic joints
manually. Once a joint is created between two
parts, the corresponding constraints will be
made automatically between them. To prevent
redundancy, we need to delete all the
constraints, which were made on the
Assembly Design workbench, before creating
joints.)

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(4) Fix Base in place:

Select Fixed Part icon

Click New Mechanism icon on the pop-up
window
Click ok to accept the default name
Select Base (by clicking Base on tree or
clicking on the geometry directly)
(A Fix Constraint is created automatically, and at
the same time, a fixed part is defined in
Mechanism.1)

(5) Create a Revolute joint between Right

Lower Arm and Base:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of LowerArm and then Axis of Base (Put
the mouse cursor onto the cylindrical surface to
get its axis)
Click Face of LowerArm and then Face of Base
Click ok to complete
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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(6) Create a Revolute joint between Left Lower
Arm and Base:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of LowerArm and then Axis of Base
Click Face of LowerArm and then Face of Base
Click ok to complete

(7) Create a Revolute joint between Right

Lower Arm and Right Upper Arm:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of LowerArm and then Axis of UpperArm
Click Face of LowerArm and then Face of
UpperArm
Click ok to complete

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(8) Create a Revolute joint between Left Lower
Arm and Left Upper Arm:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of LowerArm and then Axis of UpperArm
Click Face of LowerArm and then Face of
UpperArm
Click ok to complete

(9) Create a Revolute joint between Right

Upper Arm and Top:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of UpperArm and then Axis of Top
Click Face of UpperArm and then Face of Top
Click ok to complete

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(10) Create a Revolute joint between Left
Upper Arm and Top:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of UpperArm and then Axis of Top
Click Face of UpperArm and then Face of Top
Click ok to complete

(11) Create a Revolute joint between Left

Upper Arm and Mid-Nut:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of UpperArm and then Axis of MidNut
Click Face of UpperArm and then Face of MidNut
Click ok to complete

A- 18
Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(12) Create a Revolute joint between Right
Upper Arm and Mid-Joint:

Select Revolute Joint icon

Click Axis of UpperArm and then Axis of Midjoint
Click Face of UpperArm and then Face of MidJoint
Click ok to complete

(13) Create a Revolute joint between Mid-Joint

and Screw:

Drag the Screw out of the hole by Compass

Show xy-plane, yz-plane & zx plane of Mid-Joint
Select Revolute Joint icon
Click Axis of Mid-Joint and then Axis of Screw
Click zx Plane of Mid-Joint and then Face of Screw
Enter 10mm as Offset
Click ok to complete
A- 19
Hide xy-plane, yz-plane & zx plane

Version 1b- Mar07

Select this
planar face

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(14) Create a Screw joint between Mid-Nut and
Screw:

Drag the Screw out of the hole by Compass again

so that we can see the screw hole
Select Screw Joint icon
Click Axis of MidNut and then Axis of Screw
Select angle driven option
Enter 1 as Pitch
Click ok to complete

(15) Create a Gear joint between Right Lower

Arm and Left Lower Arm:

Select Gear Joint icon

Select Revolute.1 and then Revolute.2
Select Opposite as Rotation Directions
Click ok to complete

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(16) Create a Gear joint between Right Upper
Arm and Left Upper Arm:

Select Gear Joint icon

Select Revolute.5 and then Revolute.6
Select Opposite as Rotation Directions
Click ok to complete

(Finally, a window pops up, saying that the mechanism

can be simulated)
Revolute.5

Revolute.6

Gear.2

screw

Revolute.9
Gear.1

Revolute.7
Revolute.8
Revolute.4
Revolute.1
Revolute.2

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Version 1b- Mar07

Revolute.3
Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(17) Hide all Constraints:

Right-Click on Constraints on the product tree

and then select Hide/Show

(18) Simulate the Mechanism:

Select Simulation with Commands icon

Click button next to Command.1
Enter -30000 as Lowest Value
Enter 30000 as Highest Value
Click ok to confirm

Select Immediate Simulation

Put the mouse cursor onto the screw (doublearrow appears)
Press and Hold the Right Button to rotate the
screw (The whole mechanism moves)

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(19) Get the Smallest Height of Scissor Jack:

Select Activate Sensors option (another menu

pops-up)
Select the third button Stop when Clash
Select On Request Simulation
Select 40 as Number of steps
Adjust Command.1 to -30000 (lowest value)
Click Play icon
(The mechanism moves until the clash occurs;
When Command.1 is ~21000, it stops)
Select Close on both menus

It is now fully contracted

(20) Reset Command.1 to Zero:

Double-Click Command.1 on tree

Click Reset to Zero button
Click ok to complete
(Now when Command.1=0 deg, the scissor jack is
the shortest)
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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(21) Define the relation between Command.1
and Time:

Click Formula icon

Click Mechanism.1 on tree
(Two related parameters are sorted out:
Mechanism.1\KINTime &
Mechanism.1\Commands\Command.1\Angle)
Select
Mechanism.1\Commands\Command.1\Angle
Click Add Formula button
Enter (Mechanism.1\KINTime /1s)*360*2deg
Click ok
Click ok again
(The formula is now stored under Mechanism.1)

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(22) Define a Sensor:

Click Speed and Acceleration icon

Select Base as Reference Product
Select any endpoint
of the Top
face as Point Selection
Select Main axis
(Remark: Main Axis is the axis
system of the Product, which is also
the axis system of Base (1st
component))
Click ok to complete

(23) Run the Simulation with

Formula:

Click Simulation with Laws icon

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(23) Cont:

Select Activate Sensors

Select Speed-Acceleration.1\z_vertex and
Speed-Acceleration.1\z_LinearSpeed
Click Stop when Clash button

Click button
Enter 200s as Maximum time bound
Click ok

Click

button

(The mechanism moves, but stops at ~130s when

clash is detected)

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Version 1b- Mar07

Written By Dickson Sham

CATIA V5R16 Digital Mockup

Exercise 2
(24) Study Results:

Click Graphics button

We get two curves on the graph:
Yellow Displacement of the Top Face;
Green Speed of the Top Face

Smallest Height = 95mm

Largest Height = 326mm
Range = (326-95) = 231mm
Total Time (from Full contraction to Full
Extension) = 133sec (assuming the angular
speed of the screw is 2 rev/sec)

Displacement

(25) Restore original positions:

Click Reset Positions button

Speed

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Version 1b- Mar07

END of Exercise 2
Written By Dickson Sham